


Smoke and Mirrors

by cnomad



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e01 She Knows, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-15
Updated: 2012-06-15
Packaged: 2017-11-07 19:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/434796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cnomad/pseuds/cnomad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey says, "He goes, I go," and Jessica doesn't understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smoke and Mirrors

Jessica doesn’t understand.

She can see the potential in the kid – this Mike Ross from nowhere and nothing – and maybe, if pressed until it hurts, she might admit that she’s the tiniest bit impressed by him. But none of that explains why Harvey is willing to risk _so_ much for his associate. This twenty-something, almost-drug dealer, cheater who got kicked out of college. She can see the potential but Jessica knows – _knows_ without a shadow of a doubt – that this kid isn’t worth Harvey’s loyalty. Not really.

She knows, because out of everyone that she knows is a part of Harvey’s life he’s loyal to so few. And he trusts even less. There’s Donna – but that’s a mixed bag of fear and awe, and it’s based on so many years of dedication on the redhead’s part that Mike’s measly few months as Harvey’s associate barely counts. There’s Ray – but that’s a relationship that goes no deeper than music knowledge and an understanding that the driver depends on his paychecks from Harvey to make ends meet in this too expensive metropolis. And then there’s his brother. His baby brother who Harvey can’t see as anything other than the boy who used to get bullied on the playground – because as much as he loves the now grown man, Jessica can’t imagine that Harvey has ever allowed himself to let down his guard around the man. Because this façade of New York’s best put together closer is dependent on there not being any cracks in his image – and vulnerability in front of the little brother he’s supposed to show strength to isn’t allowed.

There’s really no one else. Louis has Harvey’s begrudging respect. His clients have paid for his ear and his brain but never his heart. And maybe on days not like today Jessica might argue that she fits somewhere on that list – but she knows, too, that for Harvey their relationship is intrinsic upon what they give each other. He’s grateful for the chances she gave him and so he pays her back with his hard work and his loyalty – but even he knew that he couldn’t tell her about this. This kid. This monumental mistake that Harvey has somehow found himself caring for.

_“He goes, I go.”_

Jessica has seen Harvey rip better men to shreds – she’s seen him take their security blankets and set it aflame in front of their eyes just to get what he wants. But she’s never seen this.

Never seen him kneel before her and offer his neck on the chopping block in place of someone else’s.

He’s protecting this kid – fighting for him in a way she’s never seen him fight for his cases. Because there’s the familiar meticulousness and strategy and cunning that she sees when he’s in court. But there’s also passion and fear and utter _desperation_. He’s clutching at straws now, and his bravado is all smoke and mirrors. His face – the usual stony mask that can keep even Donna out of his thoughts – is a wreck; it’s open and full of pleading, because he thinks he might have the upper hand here but he’s so distracted by his panic that he’s not _certain_.

Jessica doesn’t understand. Because no matter how much she considers Harvey her own, he broke the rules – the _law_ – and she has to fire him and the kid now. And Harvey knows that she knows. She gave him the out, the opportunity to protect his own head just as she taught him to: only here he is. Risking his life and his career and everything he’s worked for since he was a scrawny kid in the mailroom – and all for a would-be lawyer with too-skinny ties and a sad, sob story about his parents’ death. 

There’s anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach, and her fingers are curling in on themselves with a desire to strangle him for being so reckless – but there’s also pride. Because the lawyer in front of her isn’t just New York’s best closer – he’s a man. A _good_ man. With a heart. And he’s baring it to her with no regrets or trepidation. For all his talk of having no emotions, Jessica can read every single one he’s feeling right now.

And all she can think is – if this Mike Ross can bring these emotions out of Harvey Specter, what else is this kid capable of?

__

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**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow me at [my tumblr](http://cinematicnomad.tumblr.com/) where I often post drabbles and other fangirlish things.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Smoke and Mirrors](https://archiveofourown.org/works/461765) by [TheArcher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArcher/pseuds/TheArcher)




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